Yoga for good digestion!

The connection between breathing and digestion offers some tips to keep your stomach fit.

Gas, acidity, indigestion and constipation are so common today mainly because we take food when the body is not prepared to process it, as is when the breathe is passing from the left nostril. This indicates that the right hemisphere of the brain, which controls mental activities such as planning and calculating, is active and not left hemisphere that is responsible for physical activities such as digestion and elimination. Food taken at that time is bound to be digested poorly. So check the flow of breathe before a meal. If the left is flowing, wait for it to change naturally, (Which normally takes about an hour) or do a simple yogic practise to change it.

Kneel down and sit on your feet, placing the hands under the opposite armpits. Maintain the posture for 2/3 minutes.

Remove the left hand from the right armpit and check the flow. Continue the asana if it hasn't changed.

Some people can't breathe well through the right nostril due to either sinusitis or some problems. Such people have low digestive heat. The inner temperature can be raised through pranayama. Visualizing aa crackling fire in the pit of the stomach while eating is also helpful. Stress, too is responsible for improper digestion. Therefore it is essential to relax before a meal, which can be achieved quickly through the following practises:

Aum chanting . It has been seen that when Aum is pronounced, the brain produces alpha waves indicating a relaxed state. If chanting aloud is not possible, thinking of the sound also helps.

Abdominal breathing (10 times). First breathe deep to fell up the abdomen i.e the lower part of the lungs; breathe more to fill up the chest and then deeper still to lift the shoulder up. To exhale, release air from the top, then the middle and lastly from the lowest part.

Mental anuloma-viloma (a minute or two) For this you only need to imagine that you are breathing in from the left nostril and breathing out from the right and then breathing in from the right and breathing out from the left.

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